Motion control products are a foreign concept to many, but knowing how they work can make a significant difference in the outcome of many projects. Some motion control products, like bearings and shafting, are used to help carry heavy loads by providing durability and allowing for increased speed. There are many different kinds of bearings and shafting, but one of the most important to understand is linear. 

Linear bearings are usually classified by size. For many mechanical or conveying applications, such as moving a slide a few millimeters underneath a microscope lens, moving pallets on a conveyor.   There are a few different types of linear bearings.  Their use depends on speed weight and cleanliness of the environment.  For example A Lee Linear Roller Pillow Block (Right) would work well for a high speed, high load application in a dirty environment.  Conversly, a Lee plain or Simple bearing might work better for slower speeds in that same dirty environment.  One of the most common though, is the Lee Linear Ball slide bearing. It accomadates higher speeds and more load but requires a cleaner enivironment in which to work.   There are accessories that are available too.  Wipers and shaft supports in steel and aluminum to name just a few.   Linear bearings may seem foreign to many, but they are used in your day-to-day life more than you realize. Have you considered your smooth opening desk drawer or tool box drawers?  

Lee Linear manufactures 100% of its shafting in the USA right in Southport, North Carolina.   Linear shafting is used to support a linear bearing and act as a pathway for the bearing to ride along. It is important to note, linear shafting is differnt that rotational shafting and therefore can be higher priced to due to hardening process that must be performed to allow Bearing to work without damagiing the shaft.  Linear shafts come in a number of different sizes and materials  from 1060 harden ground to 440 stainless steel for corrosion resistance.  Lee Linear can doa almost any custom shafts as well to accommodate each type of project. Shafting is available in durable materials like hardened steel, stainless steel, and Ceramic coated aluminum to shed the weaight but keep the strength. This allows for longevity and to give users the confidence that the unit will remain undamaged through normal wear and tear. 

In Bemidji, MN, Industrial Component Sales Inc. is the go-to place for motion control products, including shafting and bearings from Lee Linear.  ICS, founded in 2000 and boasting more than 40 years of combined experience, this qualified group of industrial mechanical experts is the top resource for power transmission products in all of the Midwest. For more information, visit them online today or give them a call at (651) 270-0151.